ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany cross country and track and field programs have announced an incoming class of 21 student-athletes for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
 
Of the 21 student-athletes, the 13 women and eight men include two local recruits, two transfer students, and four international students.
 
Nathalie Alpha
Long Jump | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | Homelife Academy 
Personal Bests: LJ (5.90m)

• 2026 El Salvador Long Jump National Champion 
• 2025 & 2026 Central American U20 Championships Long Jump Champion; Championship Record Holder
• 2026 Central American Senior Championships Long Jump Bronze Medalist

 
Jase Babcock
High Jump | Athens, PA | Athens Area High School | Mercyhurst
Personal Bests: HJ (2.04m/6-8.25)

• States Qualifier
• District 4 PIAA Champion
• First Team All-State
• First Team All-State Senior Team

 
Isabelle Burroughs
Multis | Ticonderoga, N.Y. | Ticonderoga High School
Personal Bests: 55mH (8.9), 100mH (15.93), LJ (17-8), HJ (4-11), SP (28-10)

• 55mH Section Champion (2023 & 2026)
• 2026 Long Jump Section Champion 
• NYS Qualifier (2022-26)
• 2026 NIN Qualifier 

 
Jaylon Calder
Throws | St. David, Grenada | Jamaica College | Barton Community College
Personal Bests: Indoor SP (16.60m), Outdoor SP (16.30m), WT (18.65m), DT (55.08m), HT (54.24m)

• 2024 Carifta - second place 
• 2026 NJCAA Indoor Nationals (WT) - second place 
• 2026 NJCAA Outdoor Nationals (DT) - second place

 
Cole Cosgrove
Mid-Distance | Linthicum, Md | North County High School
Personal Bests: 3200 (9:29), 1600 (4:23)

• 4x cross country state qualifier 
• 2x indoor and outdoor track state qualifier 
• County champion 
• Regional champion

 
Lucy D'Alessandro
Mid-Distance | Lebanon Township, N.J. | Voorhees High School
Personal Bests: 400m (58.22), 800m (2:14), 1600m (5:12)

• XC
  • Part of 2025 XC State Championship Team
  • Part of 4x North 2 Group 2 Sectional Championship team
  • Placed 14th at the Shore Coaches Invitational and contributed to a team 1st place finish.
• Indoor Track & Field
  • Part of Eastern Regionals Championship DMR team (ran the 800m leg)
  • 2x Eastern Regionals qualifier
  • Part of 2x Sectional North 2 Group 2 Championship team
  • 2x Sectional Champion in the 4x400m relay
  • 4x state qualifier
  • 4x sectional qualifier
• Outdoor Track & Field
  • 2026 800m Sectional Champion
  • Placed 3rd in the 800m at states
  • Part of 2025 Sectional Championship team
  • 4x state qualifier
  • 4x sectional qualifier
  • Qualified for New Balance Nationals in the 800m, 4x800m, and DMR (DMR ranked 12th in the nation)
  • Raced the 4x400m at Penn Relays all four years with a personal record of 4:01. Added the 4x800m and DMR her senior year.
  • 4x Meet of Champions qualifier

 
Zavier Durandisse
Distance | LaGrangeville, N.Y. | Arlington High School
Personal Bests: 5k (15:47.8), 3200m (9:41.09), 3000mS (9:30.14)

• League: 2x Runner-up; 1x Champion
• Northern Counties: 2x Runner-up;  4x Champion
• Sectionals: 2x Runner-up; 3x Champion
• States: 3rd in Class A, 6th in the Federation
• Glenn D. Loucks Games: 3rd

 
Machai Henry
Short Sprints | Danbury, CT | Danbury High School
Personal Bests: 55m (6.41), 100m (10.64), 200m (21.74)

• Second in the state in the 100m in 2024
• 100m and 55m school records
• 55m conference record
• Third in the 100m at New Englands in 2024.

 
Kole Irwin
Long Sprints | Westerlo, N.Y. | Berne Knox Westerlo
Personal Bests: 60m (6.41), 100m (10.64), 200m (22.01), 300m (34.06), 400m (47.74)

• New York State Outdoor 400m Champion-Class C
• Placed 3rd at state championship (300m) 
• Placed 5th at state championship (55m) 
• Placed 2nd at USATF Nationals (400m HS division)

 
George Krause
Pole Vault | Rensselaer, N.Y. | Rensselaer Junior Senior High School
Personal Bests: PV (15-0.25)

• 2026 Indoor NYS Bronze Medalist 
• 2026 Indoor NYS Federation Bronze Medalist 
• 2026 NIN 7th place All American 
• 2026 Outdoor NYS Class C 2nd place

 
Gianna Ledford
Pole Vault | Wharton, N.J. | Morris Hills
Personal Bests: PV (11-7)

• County Champion
• Sectional Champion
• Group 3 State Champion

 
Talise Lynagh
Mid-Distance/Distance | Brisbane, Queensland (Australia) | Kelvin Grove State College 
Personal Bests: 800m (2:15.12), 1500m (4:37.93), 3000m (10:00.05), 5000m (17:35.75)

• U18 Regional XC Gold Medalist
• U18 State XC and 3000m Bronze Medalist
• U17 State 1500m Silver Medalist
• 10th at Australian National U20 XC

 
Milani Modeste
Distance | Brooklyn, N.Y. | James Madison High School
Personal Bests: 800m (2:29), 1500m (5:10), 5000m (21:42)

• NYSPHSAA Cross Country State Qualifier
• PSAL Indoor Track & Field 1500m Borough Champion
• PSAL Indoor Track & Field 1500m NYC Championship Finalist
• PSAL Outdoor Track & Field 4x800m Relay NYC Champion
• NYSPHSAA Outdoor Track & Field 4x800m State Qualifier
• School Record Holder – 1 Mile & 4x800m Relay

 
Angel Omokeni
Long Jump & Triple Jump | Freeport, N.Y. | Freeport High School
Personal Bests: LJ (18-4), TJ (38-2)

• All-American 3rd place long jump
• All-State Long Jump 7th place
• All-State Triple Jump 8th place
• 6x All-County Long Jump
• 7x All-County Triple Jump 
• All-Conference 
• All-Division
• Nassau Scholars Athlete of the Year

 
Cherldine Paul
Throws | Naples, FL | Barron Collier High School 
Personal Bests: SP (14.22m/46-65), DT (34.38m/112-8)

• Shot Put State Champion
• School Record Holder 

 
Jonathan Radcliffe
Short Sprints | Bethlehem, N.Y. | Bethlehem Central High School
Personal Bests: 100m (10.8), 200m (21.9), 400m (49.3)

• 4x State Qualifier 
• 2x Sectional Champ 
• 1x National Qualifier 
• 2x All-State First team

 
Nicole Samson
Mid-Distance | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Santiago High School
Personal Bests: 800m (2:07)

• 2x National Champ (DMR, 4x800m) 
• 2x State Champ (4x800m) 
• Competed at Indoor/Outdoor New Balance Nationals, Hoka Invite, and California State meet in the 800m

 
Esmia Thomas
Short Sprints | Roosevelt, N.Y. | Roosevelt High School
Personal Bests: 55m (6.90), 60m (7.52), 100m (11.78), 200m (24.51)

• 2026 NYPHSAA/Federation 55m Indoor State Champion 
• All-state in the 100m and 200m, earning 2nd in both events in the NYSPHSAA outdoor 2026 championship, as well as 3rd in federation 
• Second Class All-American; top 12 at NB Indoor National championships 2026 in the 60m 
• US top-10 for the 55m dash for the 25-26 Indoor track and field season

 
Jasmine Vazquez
Long Sprints | Mesa, AZ | Red Mountain High School
Personal Bests: 400m (56.62)

• 4X AZ Division 1 State Finalist (400m)
• School Record holder in four events. 
• U18 runner-up in Puerto Rico Nationals 400m (2024) 
• 2025 New Balance Outdoors Nationals qualifier
• 2026 Nike Outdoor Nationals qualifier

 
Roselyn Vazquez
Javelin | Mesa, AZ | Red Mountain High School
Personal Bests: JT (42.60m/139-09)

• Placed 2nd at the AZ Division 1 State Championships all four years 
• HS Record Holder
• Won Freshman Division at New Balance Nationals
• 2022 Nike Nationals All-American
• USATF Junior Olympics 10X All-American
• 2X Puerto Rico National Runner-Up (U18)

 
Hannah Wilson
Multis | Durham, United Kingdom | Park View School
Personal Bests: 100m (12.4), 200m (24.5), 400m (57.4), 800m (2.22), 100mH (14.7), HJ (1.62m), LJ (5.42m), SP (8.95), JT (26.21), Pent (3388), Hep (4645)

• 2025 - Second in the national championships heptathlon, gained an England vest and came 3rd in the Home Countries International
• 2025 - Third in the national championships heptathlon

 
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